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Hello to my 996 friends! I need your advice. Took my 996 to the mountains on Saturday and dropped the top because the temperature was perfect and scenes were too beautiful to pass up this time of year. However, when I got home, I started closing the convertible top and when the passenger window began to rise up, a sound of grinding could be heard. It almost sounded like a small amount sand rubbing up against a mechanism or something. The window wouldn't raise completely at first, but with some careful effort, I was able to get the window to close. In your opinion, is this problem associated with window motor or lifter mechanism? (see picture) Based on past threads on the subject, this seems like a text book case of the motor going bad. Your help is greatly appreciated.
maybe post a video of the sound. maybe it's not the same noise and the window regulator is very expensive part so I'd hate for you to buy it based on my input alone as others say it's the motor.
maybe post a video of the sound. maybe it's not the same noise and the window regulator is very expensive part so I'd hate for you to buy it based on my input alone as others say it's the motor.
Thanks man.
I've read some recent threads where the window motor's safety clutch mechanism is made is self destruct under a certain amount of load and it's not uncommon for this section of the motor to go bad thus causing a grinding type noise. Basically, they say what you hear is plastic parts grinding inside the motor. But at $400, I want to make absolutely sure it's not the window lifting mechanism.
Um, why don't you just remove the door cover, roll the window and try to pinpoint if the noise is from the motor. It should be pretty obvious. (Note airbag light will trip though if your power the window with the airbag disconnected but that could be reset by Durametric).
Um, why don't you just remove the door cover, roll the window and try to pinpoint if the noise is from the motor. It should be pretty obvious. (Note airbag light will trip though if your power the window with the airbag disconnected but that could be reset by Durametric).
+1
Also, looking on ebay, I see cheap window regulators as low as $56 with free shipping. Used window motors are as cheap as $80 and reman ones as cheap as $175. So, either way, this should be a sub-$200 fix for you.
Agree that you should just take the door panel off and take a look. Although I've never replaced a window regulator on a 996, I've done it on at least 5 other cars. They are all basically the same setup.
I don't think I've ever replaced the motor on one - it's always the regulator. Based on that and there seems to be about 5 regulator ads for every motor ad on ebay, my money is on the regulator.
So, since the regulator is cheap and is normally the culprit, then order one of those if you are in a situation where you can't pull the door off to look.
Even if it turns out to be the motor, the regulator is probably going to crap out on you at some point in the not-too-distant future anyway.
Both of my windows are making the sounds you describe... But my windows roll up and down with no real issues. That said the passenger door window "tries" to drop when the door is opened, but it does not drop enough to clear the roof upon closing the door as it should. I have also noticed that the tint in the upper rear quadrant are of my front windows is getting new damage from rolling up and down since the crunchiness started...
The noise and the window tint damage were not present during my PPI, so I'm thinking the increased use since purchase has caused this particular weakness to come to light.
I've simply not taken the time to dig in and investigate further. Part of me wants to have the parts here to fix it before I dig in, just so I don't have to do the disassembly/reassembly twice or leave the door guts exposed while I wait. Problem is, I don't know if I need the full regulator or just a small part?
When I was looking around, I saw this EPS product, which seems a bit opportunistically priced... However if you look closely at the photo with the finger pointing to that section of the regulator, it makes me wonder if that broken piece of plastic could be the cause of your noise and mine...?
At $60 each, I'm probably just going to by new aftermarket regulators for each side and swap them out. I was shopping for this stuff before reading your thread.
Thanks for posting these links... there's a really cool bicycle shop about 2 miles from my house I've been wanting to check out... I'm heading there as soon as I get off of this conference call I'm supposed to be listening to! SWEET!
10-10-2016, 10:10 AM
**Please Help** Window Grinding
But my windows roll up and down with no real issues. That said the passenger door window "tries" to drop when the door is opened, but it does not drop enough to clear the roof upon closing the door as it should. I have also noticed that the tint in the upper rear quadrant are of my front windows is getting new damage from rolling up and down since the crunchiness started... 
